In this episode we look at the themes emerging from Open House expanded July program – access and inclusivity in the city, specifically blindness and vision impairment in response to the Urban Tactility program.

Urban Tactility is an installation and public program exploring the sensory city and design + disability as part of the Open House Melbourne July 2019 program. Building on the thought-provoking nature of the Sensory City tours we ran in partnership with OoPLA in 2017 & 2018, the Urban Tactility installation is designed to inspire people to connect with the experience of those living with low vision and blindness and the way they navigate the city. 

Through associated walking tours, workshops and talks, developed in collaboration with Vision Australia, the project will directly engage multiple public communities with a focus on people living with blindness or low vision, senior adults, and children, along with the broader Open House audience.

We explore the underlying two-fold agenda of Urban Tactility – a chance to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and also think about how the city can be improved and redesigned for different communities and users.